Did You Know There is Life After Engine Failure?
Many car owners here in Fort Collins, Colorado mistakenly believe that when their car or truck's engine fails they have no options. In some cases, replacing the car's engine is a viable and economic option compared to the costs of replacing the vehicle altogether.
This particularly holds true if the vehicle is a newer model that still holds some value or the cost of replacing it with a comparable model is cost-prohibitive.
Just like any other part of a car or truck, the engine can be replaced. engines fail for many reasons including:
- Lack of oil or circulation - not keeping up with oil changes or addressing oil leaks can lead to low oil levels. Not having enough oil in the engine causes the engine to "lock-up" due to lack of lubrication.
- Jumping time - Vehicles have either timing chains or timing belts. Issues with either one can result in catastrophic failure in the engine. Chains can "jump" out of place and broken timing belts can do internal engine damage.
- Extreme overheating - When an engine is overheated too many times or too severely, it will damage the head gasket of the engine or crack the cylinder heads. Overheating causes metal to expand and can cause internal parts to fail.
- Flooding - When you drive through deep puddles you risk sucking water up into your engine. Simply put, water in the engine is not good.
- Detonation (spark knock) - Spark knock results from abnormal combustion in the engine and it means there is too much heat and pressure building up in the engine. The pressure "knocks" or bangs on the pistons and you can actually hear the resulting sound.
You have three options available if you wish to keep your car after catastrophic engine failure.
Repair Your Existing Engine
Some engines can be repaired depending on the type of damage they sustained. Head gaskets, broken timing belts, and bent valves are able to be replaced. Some machining of the engine may also be required for some repairs.
Replacing the Engine with a Used One
Replacement engines are available from junk or salvage yards. They typically come with short warranties but are verified to be in a running condition without any major defects. This is usually a less expensive repair than rebuilding your engine because it saves labor time and there are no machining costs.
Replacing the Motor with a New One
More often than not, you can find a "new" engine for your vehicle. In almost all instances, these engines are remanufactured. That means they took the shell of a used engine, cleaned it up, and replaced all movable parts with new ones. These engines are significantly more expensive than used ones but they come with longer warranty periods.
Many repair shops in Fort Collins can handle engine replacements and there are even shops that specialize in these types of major repairs. Be sure to get an estimate from Weston Automotive and compare rebuild vs. used vs. remanufactured to get a good overall idea of what repair is best for you and your budget.
Weston Auto Service is an auto repair specialist located in Fort Collins, Colorado. We are ASE-certified mechanics specializing in foreign and domestic auto repair. For a free diagnostic and full analysis of your car problem please contact us or call us at 970-377-3333.